Being a college student, I have learned a lot about taking care of myself, as everyone does at my age. Here are some things that I have found to help me in planning a healthy day as a cheap and busy student!
Always have certain ingredients on hand.
Keeping a consistent, ready supply of healthy foods on hand and available for grab and go snacks or for ingredients in meals is a small change that can go a long way. Things like fruits, vegetables, and nuts are easy snacks can also be cheaply priced. Shop for sales and don't be too picky - if a type of nut is on sale but I was hoping for another, I just get the one on sale or pass until I can get a deal on the other! Also for nuts, buying bulk can be a good option if I plan to eat a lot! A few other things that I personally tend to have on hand are quick oats, brown rice, greek yogurt, almond milk, and eggs (or egg substitute). These are things that I cook with frequently, so they are important to have available for me. The point is that I try not to let ingredients hold me back from making healthy meals. Having healthy supplies is critical to making healthy foods - so keep those healthy ingredients around!
Store away those unhealthy craving foods.
A lot of times, unhealthy options are tempting because of the readiness and convenience but I find myself most tempted by the foods that I see. Rather than leaving cookies or candy out constantly, I like to store those foods away and instead let healthier foods like bananas and mixed nuts sit out!
Plan and prepare ahead of time.
A common concern about eating healthy is time. For me, I find it easiest to plan my dinner for each day of the week before the week begins. This way, I know my schedule and how much time I will have to prepare the food, so I can decide to make things ahead of time, allow for a laborious dinner, or plan for a quick meal accordingly. By planning ahead, I don't find myself in a time crunch or resorting to fast food or microwavable meals. Finally, as part of planning ahead, it can often be a good idea to make large batches of staple foods like brown rice or boiled sweet potatoes over the weekend (or anytime that I have available) that can be stored in the fridge and heated up as a part of a meal later in the week when you normally wouldn't have time for it. Also washing fruits and cutting up fresh vegetables for easy access during the week can be a convenience to promote healthy snacking as well!
Make weekly grocery store trips.
Being at the grocery store every week will ensure a constant supply of fresh fruits and vegetables! Check out the weekly deals and be flexible. Also, stocking up on things that are longer lasting is always a great way to save some green! Finally, I also commonly check out the sales at more than one grocery store so that I can really make sure I get the most bang for my buck!
Schedule times to exercise.
Working out has always been something I enjoy, so the only thing that usually keeps me from exercising is when I just don't have time. Similar to meal planning, I often plan when and how long I am going to exercise each day during the previous day. This way, I have no excuse for not going, and I can plan the rest of my day accordingly to not lose any time on any work or chores that also need done that day!
Keeping a consistent, ready supply of healthy foods on hand and available for grab and go snacks or for ingredients in meals is a small change that can go a long way. Things like fruits, vegetables, and nuts are easy snacks can also be cheaply priced. Shop for sales and don't be too picky - if a type of nut is on sale but I was hoping for another, I just get the one on sale or pass until I can get a deal on the other! Also for nuts, buying bulk can be a good option if I plan to eat a lot! A few other things that I personally tend to have on hand are quick oats, brown rice, greek yogurt, almond milk, and eggs (or egg substitute). These are things that I cook with frequently, so they are important to have available for me. The point is that I try not to let ingredients hold me back from making healthy meals. Having healthy supplies is critical to making healthy foods - so keep those healthy ingredients around!
Store away those unhealthy craving foods.
A lot of times, unhealthy options are tempting because of the readiness and convenience but I find myself most tempted by the foods that I see. Rather than leaving cookies or candy out constantly, I like to store those foods away and instead let healthier foods like bananas and mixed nuts sit out!
Plan and prepare ahead of time.
A common concern about eating healthy is time. For me, I find it easiest to plan my dinner for each day of the week before the week begins. This way, I know my schedule and how much time I will have to prepare the food, so I can decide to make things ahead of time, allow for a laborious dinner, or plan for a quick meal accordingly. By planning ahead, I don't find myself in a time crunch or resorting to fast food or microwavable meals. Finally, as part of planning ahead, it can often be a good idea to make large batches of staple foods like brown rice or boiled sweet potatoes over the weekend (or anytime that I have available) that can be stored in the fridge and heated up as a part of a meal later in the week when you normally wouldn't have time for it. Also washing fruits and cutting up fresh vegetables for easy access during the week can be a convenience to promote healthy snacking as well!
Make weekly grocery store trips.
Being at the grocery store every week will ensure a constant supply of fresh fruits and vegetables! Check out the weekly deals and be flexible. Also, stocking up on things that are longer lasting is always a great way to save some green! Finally, I also commonly check out the sales at more than one grocery store so that I can really make sure I get the most bang for my buck!
Schedule times to exercise.
Working out has always been something I enjoy, so the only thing that usually keeps me from exercising is when I just don't have time. Similar to meal planning, I often plan when and how long I am going to exercise each day during the previous day. This way, I have no excuse for not going, and I can plan the rest of my day accordingly to not lose any time on any work or chores that also need done that day!